


Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep

by MaskoftheRay



Series: Stars Innumerable and Hearts Incandescent [7]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, Injustice: Gods Among Us, Superman - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Better times and happier memories, Bittersweet Ending, Bruce Wayne Has Issues, Bruce Wayne Needs a Hug, Emotional Baggage, Ex-Best Friends, Feels, Friends to Enemies, Friendship, Gen, Introspection, Missing Scene, Nostalgia, One-Sided Attraction, Past major character injury, Reluctant Team-ups, Short & Sweet, Tired Bruce Wayne, Unresolved Emotional Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-11
Updated: 2020-08-11
Packaged: 2021-03-06 10:36:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 762
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25848178
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MaskoftheRay/pseuds/MaskoftheRay
Summary: The night before the big battle against Brainiac, Batman finds that he can’t sleep, and takes watch. He receives— if not comfort, then something at least vaguely like it— from an unexpected source.The source, of course, is none other thanClark KentKal-ElSuperman.
Relationships: (One-sided) Clark Kent/Bruce Wayne, Bruce Wayne & Kal-El, Clark Kent & Bruce Wayne
Series: Stars Innumerable and Hearts Incandescent [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1462117
Comments: 4
Kudos: 38





	Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep

**Author's Note:**

> “I don’t want to make a movement  
> I’m too scared to breathe; I might do something wrong  
> As you’re sleeping silently  
> Perfect beauty laid before me  
> I feel every second is a lifetime long”  
> — “Perfect Now,” Sarah Blasko

“You should try to get some sleep.”

Batman didn’t startle at the unexpected voice, but it was a near thing. He straightened up and moved away from the wall which he’d been leaning against, holding back a yawn. Although he was very tired and knew that getting some sleep was probably a good idea, he found himself incapable of doing so. “Can’t,” he replied shortly. But that one word was too revealing.

Bruce had long been plagued by insomnia, but prior to three years ago, it had rarely been Superman’s fault— more recently, however, it was. Especially now, on the eve of battle, he could not stop thinking. Devising strategies, considering outcomes, mentally picking over a thousand little details and variations which might affect the battle’s outcome and, therefore, the fate of the Earth itself. But this was not the only thing he was worried about.

At the beginning of it all, Kal-El had said that he would not go back into the Red Sun Cell, and Batman fully believed he was committed to that statement. However, he himself was equally determined that Kal would. Unfortunately, he _needed_ Superman to defeat Brainiac, hence his current predicament.

For all the potential outcomes he imagined, Bruce was uncertain of how he would deal with the Kryptonian when the time came to. _Solving that will have to wait until later_ , he reminded himself firmly, taking a calming breath.

They had to _win_ the fight against Brainiac first.

“Somebody needs to keep watch,” Bruce said, amending his earlier statement. Another little jolt went through him as he turned slightly, to better see the unimpressed expression on Kal-El’s face. Superman was no less magnificent for the dingy location or late hour. Even now, after everything else, there would always be a small part of Bruce that was in awe of his former friend.

 ~~Clark~~ Kal let him look for a moment before he scowled, and took a step forward. “I know; that’s why I’m here.”

He snorted dismissively and stepped subtly away from Superman. “That’s not happening.” His former friend scowled and reached out. Bruce stiffened, and a little jolt of instinctual fear ran through him. The hand subsided, and he breathed a bit easier.

No matter that they had bigger concerns to deal with now besides their own issues, no matter that they had a mutual enemy binding them together (at least for the moment), Bruce would never feel comfortable with the Kryptonian touching him again. For the last time— the last time Superman _had_ gotten close to him, touched him, he’d broken Bruce’s spine.

Batman swallowed and turned to glare sharply at the alien beside him. “Even if I were to agree to switch out, it’d be one of _my_ people taking over, Kal.”

“We need Batman at his best for the battle tomorrow.” Bruce’s heart lurched, despite himself, and he pursed his lips in an attempt to rein in his emotions at those simple words. But he was unable to. Memories came to him, unbidden, of the other times Superman had said this: before a league meeting, dirt-streaked after several hard days on an alien world, or in the Batcave as they talked strategy— the common denominator in all these memories was that ~~Kal~~ Clark had spoken as a friend.

He swallowed thickly, and had just gotten his heartbeat (more or less) under control when Superman demanded, “What is it?” Clark had only ever pretended that he didn’t listen in on Bruce for politeness’ sake, since they were friends. Because he knew that Bruce would feel _safer_ if he could pretend that he didn’t. Kal-El, however, had no such stipulations. He did not care for the comfort of others, let alone _Batman’s_.

Bruce sighed and turned away from Superman. “I forgot what it was like, fighting together,” he answered honestly if a bit stiffly. _I missed it_.

Beside him, the Kryptonian crossed his arms slowly and leaned against the wall. His lips were angled upwards in a thin, only slightly-bitter smile. Then Superman tilted his head back and looked out at the quickly fading stars in the brightening sky. “Yeah, I miss it too.”

He sighed again to keep from saying anything inadvisable and cleared his throat. “I’ll go get someone else. Please don’t destroy the world again before then,” Bruce said dryly.

Kal’s lips twitched, but his eyes were hard and cold. “No promises, Batman. But I can certainly try.”

Bruce met the Kryptonian’s cool gaze with a firm stare of his own. “See that you do.” He turned around and walked away.

**Author's Note:**

> Title taken from the Christian prayer of the same name. You can read different versions of it [here](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_child%27s_prayer#Now_I_Lay_Me_Down_to_Sleep).


End file.
